I smiled in harmony with Soldier’s Boy. She had no idea how correct she was.
At that moment, I became aware of a scent on the air, the smell of something essential. He turned toward it, forgetting Olikea. The small sunburned boy was returning with a basket full of berries. He was hurrying, his round cheeks joggling as he trotted up to me. “I’ve brought you the berries,” he called as he hastened up. His eyes met mine. I think he suddenly realized that it was unexpected for me to be awake. His blue eyes reflected a child’s horror at how wasted my body was. Then, as quickly, horror was replaced with sympathy. He thrust the basket at me. “Eat them! Eat them quickly!” In his haste, the basket tipped and a few berries bounded out of it to rest on the moss like scattered jewels.
“Clumsy boy! Give those to me! They are for the Great One,” Olikea told him sharply.
The youngster simultaneously cringed and pushed the basket toward her. As Olikea dropped her hand to take the basket, Jodoli looked away; Firada scowled. “No,” Soldier’s Boy said firmly.
“But you must eat these, Soldier’s Boy.” Olikea’s manner had changed in an instant. From being stern with the boy she went to cajoling me. “They are what you need to regain your strength. Once you have strength back, we can begin to replenish your magic. But first, you must eat these.”
The smell of the berries reached his nostrils, piquant and tempting. He shivered with want. He clasped his hands together to keep from snatching at them. “No. I take nothing from you. The boy brought the gift to me. Let him present it to me. The honor of serving a Great Man is his.”
Nevare would have blushed to say such words. Nevare would never have claimed such importance for himself. But this was not Nevare, no matter how I might think of him in terms of “I” and “me.” This was someone else, and I was only his silent shadow.
Olikea caught her breath. Her eyes narrowed and I thought she would challenge his words. Instead, she stood abruptly, turned on her heel and stalked away. Jodoli and Firada stared after her, but the boy’s full attention was on me. Awed by the honor, he dropped to his knees, the basket cradled in both his hands, and then walked on his knees toward me. The closer he came, the more compelling the smell of the food became. Soldier’s Boy did not take the basket from him, but dipped both hands in to fill them with berries and then raised the cupped berries to his mouth. In a very short time, the basket was empty. As Soldier’s Boy heaved a sigh of satisfaction, the boy’s face shone. He leapt to his feet, then seemed to recall he was in my presence and dropped back to his knees. On his knees, he again backed away from the forest mage and then once more rocketed onto his feet. “I know where there are yellow mushrooms,” he exclaimed, and before Soldier’s Boy could respond, he spun about and dashed off.
My Speck self looked around. I had expected to find myself in a Speck village, but there were no shelters, no cook fires, nothing to indicate that we were anywhere except in the wild heart of the mountain forest. “Where is everyone?” I heard Soldier’s Boy ask, and realized the stupidity of his question. He took a breath. “Jodoli. How did I come to be here?”
Jodoli looked uncomfortable but spoke bluntly. “You overspent your magic and fell, dying, near the end of the intruders’ road. One of the ancestor trees was shamed to see a Great Man perish so, untended and without a tree to take him in. He used what life was left to him to start the whispering. And Lisana, your sponsor, added her strength to make it a command. I was summoned, as was Olikea. Firada came with me to tend me. And Olikea brought Likari to run and fetch for her.
“It was Olikea’s duty to bring you back into the shade, for you had fallen in full sunlight. She and Likari were burned bringing you to safety, for even depleted, you were a heavy load for them to shift, and there was no time for them to weave shade-cloaks for themselves. Once you were beneath the shelter of the trees, Firada was able to help them. We brought you here, well away from the brightness. And Olikea set about doing what she could to revive you. I am surprised that you are restored even this much. Never have I seen a Great One so depleted.”
“It was a foolish waste,” Soldier’s Boy growled. He leaned back on the moss and looked up at the fragments of sky that showed through the dense canopy overhead. “All that magic consumed by futility. What I did may delay their cutting of the trees, but it will not stop it. And while it may frighten them or puzzle them, I fear that it will only set their minds to working on how they can overcome it rather than make them give up their plan. I know the task of ridding our land of the intruders is mine; but I do not know how I am to accomplish it. That still eludes me.”